3. Earlier News

 

Consideration of Planning Permit applications grinding along slowly.

Nov 07 Riders could be excused for thinking that nothing has happened since the planning applications for the Darebin Bridge project were lodged over two months ago.  While little has happened publicly Parks Victoria and the Councils are working busily behind the scenes.

Parks Victoria is currently working to answer the final questions that Councils have asked about the project and we expect that Banyule, Yarra and Boroondara Councils will be calling for public comment on the project by January. This will be your chance to support the project.

The past few months have seen support for the project grow from the community and all levels of Government. We will let you know when the consultation opens and you have the opportunity to show your support. For an email update make sure you click on 'email me updates' above.

Planning Applications have been lodged

31 Aug 07 Parks Victoria have lodged the planning applications for the Darebin Bridge with the Councils of Banyule, Yarra and Boroondara. So now after many years of studying the form guide, the ball has been bounced and the real game can begin!

Click on 'Email me Updates' (right) to keep up to date as we will be asking for your support in the very near future.

Construction starts on Banyule section

Aug 07 The City of Banyule, with funding assistance from Parks Victoria, is currently building a new section of the Darebin Creek Trail. This will extend the trail south of Darebin Parklands to the Heidelberg Road Bridge and is an essential part of the Darebin Bridge project. Unfortunately the new trail will not quite make it under Heidelberg Road and into Sparks Reserve. We are hopeful construction of the trail into Sparks Reserve will commence in 2008.

The photos below show the construction of a new creek crossing and associated trail construction.
  

The image below shows the new section of trail in green and the new creek crossing in blue. Sparks Reserve is the park area to the south of Heidelberg Road that the trail should reach in early 2008. 

 

Darebin Bridge in the news

Jul 07 The Darebin Bridge has been making news in the last week. Northcote MP Fiona Richardson raised the issue in Parliament on July 19 and there was also a detailed article in The Age on Saturday July 21.

What you can do

• Parks Victoria is about to submit planning applications for the project. Boroondara, Darebin and Yarra Councils are likely to be calling for public comment on in late July. Click on email me updates above to be notified.
• The City of Boroondara is asking for comments (until July 25th) on their proposal to move a soccer pitch to where the proposed trail could be built.
• Tell you friends or learn more by getting a copy of the map.

Stay Tuned - Planning applications to be submitted soon

Jul 07 We've heard from a number of government sources that July is the month that Parks Victoria will be submitting planning applications to Boroondara, Darebin and Yarra Councils.

This will be the time to show your support for the Darebin Bridge project. Make sure you click on email me updates above so we can let you know when the consultation begins.

Local MP writes to Minister Thwaites

Jul 07 Fiona Richardson, Member for Northcote, has written a letter to Minister John Thwaites to ensure the appropriate level of funding is available to build the bridge.

Contract Awarded

Jul 07 The contract has been awarded to build a section of the trail, in Banyule, between the Railway Bridge and Heidelberg Rd (Melway Ref 31 D10). Construction should begin soon.

Negotiations are still underway to acquire the land needed to get the trail through to Sparks Reserve.

Maps now available in Bike Shops

Jun 07 You can pick up a map from a number of bike stores around the bridge.

The Next Move

May 07 For many months Parks Victoria has promised to submit planning applications to the relevant councils. It is now unclear whether a planning permit will be needed in the City of Boroondara section.

Meanwhile Boroondara Councils position on giving the necessary consent for a planning application to be lodged remains unclear.

The situation is complex because Council is the land manager of Willsmere Park and any planning application needs a letter from them that gives consent for the application to be lodged. The planning application will then go through the normal planning approvals process including public consultation and a final decision by council. Therefore council has the power to knock back a planning application without allowing it to go through the normal consultation and planning approvals process.

After many emails and a presentation from Parks Victoria, it appeared that council were happy to give the necessary consent for a planning application to be lodged.

It is a critical and frustrating time in what is sure to be a long process. It seems that two things are needed:

• Parks Victoria needs to decide if a planning application is to be submitted and if so it needs to be done as soon as possible
• Boroondara Council needs to commit to allowing a planning application to be submitted should it be required. This step does not mean that council supports the proposed trail alignment or bridge location. Instead it simply ensures that the application for the bridge is considered by the correct planning process.

May 07 A planning application is yet to be submitted to the relevant councils for the Darebin Bridge and associated trail. Parks Victoria is working to resolve some last minute legal issues before this is done.

In the coming months we can expect Yarra, Darebin, Banyule and Boroondara councils to all be considering planning applications for the bridge. You can be a part of the process by registering your support for the project during public consultation. Click on email me updates at www.darebinbridge.com.au to be notified when you can have your say.

Mar 07 Boroondara Councillors have received a briefing from Parks Victoria about the Darebin bridge. A Council officer told us the meeting 'was to provide an opportunity to explain the issue to Councillors so that when the planning application is lodged by Parks Victoria, Councillors can make an informed decision.'

After recieving well over 200 emails no formal decision to support a planning application for the bridge was made, however council are now committed considering any planning application that is lodged.

Feb 07 The Mayor, Phillip Healey, has been speaking against the bridge in the local papers.

Please show your support for the bridge by emailing the Boroondara councilors.

Councillors need to know that you want the Darebin Creek Trail to link to the Main Yarra Trail and that you want them to accept and approve the planning application.

Click here to email the Mayor and Councilors. Please say if you live in Boroondara and remember to keep it positive, grumpy emails turn Councilors off.

Council's masterplan for Willsmere Park endorses the bridge location as proposed by Parks Victoria. The Parks Victoria plan is based on more than 10 years of consultation and investigation.

The Mayor has been stating that council no longer supports the route and wants the bridge in another location. Previous investigations have shown all alternative routes to be unworkable. With your support the other councilors will outvote the Mayor.

Cr Healey has been claiming that the bridge and trail will impact on important ecological areas in Willsmere Park. However the report he cites clearly states that significant ecological values are restricted to the Kew Billabong and single large trees.

The trail will be constructed well outside the fenced boundary of the Kew Billabong and avoids all significant vegetation as shown in the diagram to the right with the trail route previously adopted by council shown in yellow.

Darebin Creek Trail connection to the Main Yarra Trail

Mar 07 After a year of slow but steady progress the project has recently become very public again. Recent events include:

• The Mayor of Boroondara has publicly opposed the location of the bridge going against the 2006 masterplan developed and endorsed by council.
• Parks Victoria is ready to submit planning applications although the City of Boroondara appears to be stalling this process.

2007 will be a challenging and hopefully very productive year for the project. One thing is certain: Your support will be required at some stage so please click email me updates above to stay in touch, we will send you an email when the campaign heats up.

Aug 06 The state government has announced $2 million for the construction of the link between the Darebin Creek Trail and the Main Yarra Trail. This is great new for this long overdue project.

Nov 05 Bicycle Victoria met with Minister Mary Delahunty, the state member of parliament for Northcote, about connecting the Darebin creek trail to the Main Yarra Trail. The Minister is very supportive of the project and will work with Bicycle Victoria and community groups to lobby for state government funding of the project.

There are currently no state government funds allocated for the construction of the trail south of Sparks Reserve to the Yarra River. This section has not been fully costed but is anticipated to be between two to four million dollars.

Current funding from the state government is $1 million per year for the whole of the Metropolitan Trail Network (MTN). Obviously only a fraction of this can be allocated to the Darebin Creek Trail and even if the project were to receive one quarter of the current funds available it could not be finished within 10 years.

We are calling for state government funding for the MTN to increase to $5 Million per year. Parks Victoria is currently preparing planning applications for the project. It is hoped that they will be submitted by the end of 2005 and approvals granted in early 2006.

Oct 05 After Bicycle Victoria members wrote over 500 letters earlier this year, Minister Thwaites has announced a new fund for the Metropolitan Trail Network (MTN). Funding for the MTN now meets the state governments 2002 election promise; however more money will be needed to fund critical projects.

The new fund will provide $187,500 towards the construction of the missing section of Darebin Creek Trail between Grange Road and Darebin Road. The City of Darebin will also provide some matching funding for the project.

While the funding is a commendable step, current government funding will not be able to connect the Darebin Creek Trail through to the Main Yarra Trail in Kew. A commitment of significant additional funding will be required within the next year to ensure this important link is realised.

We believe that increasing the Metropolitan Trail Network annual funding to five million dollars could deliver this and other important projects on the trail network.

The development of the new fund provides all trail users with an opportunity to thank Minister Thwaites for developing the MTN fund and to stress the importance of additional funding to the Minister and local MP Mary Delahunty.

You can email Minister Thwaites at john.thwaites@minstaff.vic.gov.au and Minister Delahunty at mary.delahunty@minstaff.vic.gov.au. Don't forget to send a copy (bcc) to campaigns@bv.com.au.

Dec 04 Darebin Council has constructed a section of path south from Darebin Parklands as far as the Hurstbridge railway line. It is planned to continue the path next financial year to Heidelberg Rd and Sparks Reserve

When complete the project will link the Darebin Ck Trail to the Main Yarra Trail - a crucial gap in Melbourne's shared path network.

The project will extend the Darebin Creek Trail south from the Darebin Parklands to where the Anniversary-Outer Circle Trail passes under the Eastern Fwy Melway Map 31C9 to 45 F1).

Parks Victoria is negotiating with affected landholders along the proposed route and will eventually need to apply for planning permits to proceed. Progress has been slow but we are confident the project will eventually go ahead.

The section in Sparks Reserve has also become more urgent since an existing footbridge over the Darebin Creek was washed away in the December 2003 floods, increasing demand for the trail to be constructed through this section asap.

Completing the link is one of Bicycle Victoria's highest priority campaigns. It will give the residents of Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs access to hundreds of kilometres of popular bike paths throughout the metropolitan area.

Benefits

Linking the Darebin Trail to the Yarra Trail will allow cyclists to travel:

• downstream on the Yarra Trail to the City
• upstream on the Yarra Trail to Westerfolds in Templestowe
• along the Anniversary Trail through and Camberwell to the Gardiners Creek Trail in Malvern.
• the path will allow access for students all the way to Latrobe University and eventually to RMIT's Bundoora campus.

Keep up to date with the latest news.

Click on 'email me updates' at www.darebinbridge.com.au and we will send you an email when anything important happens or your help is needed.